Introduction
Thanks to conference call features, adding new people to an in-progress call is a cinch. So what’s the difference between a conference call and a conference bridge? Conference bridge features let you set up a centralized number (the “bridge”) for people to call when they’re joining a meeting; conference calls usually require you to manually add other attendees to the call once you’re already on the line.
For many offices, a bridge is the way to go. This guide walks through how to start a conference.
How to Add Conferences
We recommend letting a leader start the conference; otherwise, anyone with the participant code can use your bridge.
Step 1: Log in to the Pilot Voice Portal. Your Login Name will be in the format of extension@domain. Then select Conferences.
Step 2: Click the Add Conference button, then fill out the fields in the pop-up that appears.
During this step, you’ll select which kind (“Type”) of bridge you wish to use: an owned conference bridge or a dedicated conference bridge. If choosing a dedicated bridge, the extension needs to be between 3000 and 3999.
Need help understanding all the options? Refer to this chart.
Table 5-1. Adding/Editing a Conference
| Setting |
Description |
| Name |
Enter a name for this bridge. The name should allow you to differentiate this bridge from other bridges you configured. |
| Type |
Select the conference type. Choices are: • Dedicated conference bridge = a shared bridge on its own dedicated extension. • Owned conference bridge = a bridge associated with a user on the system (for example, the bridge for user 111). |
| Extension |
Adding a conference: select the extension used to join this conference. Editing a conference: read-only field that shows the extension. |
| Direct Phone Number |
Select the phone number used to join the conference. Owned bridges also have a direct dial field, which is the number participants can dial to access the bridge. |
| Leader PIN |
Enter the personal identification number (PIN) that the leader will use to authenticate access when joining the meeting. This PIN is private and should be known by internal staff only. |
| Participant PIN |
Enter the PIN that participants will use to authenticate access when joining the meeting. Distribute this PIN to all guests of the meeting. |
| Minimum participants to start |
Select the minimum number of participants that must attend the conference before it can start. |
| Options |
Select the following options: • Require a Leader to start = when checked, the system requires a leader to start the conference. If unchecked, the conference call will start when the first participant joins, regardless of whether a leader is present. • Prompt all participants for their name = when checked, the system prompts users for their name when they call into the conference call. • Announce participant arrivals/departures = when checked, the system either beeps or announces when a participant joins or leaves the conference. |
Step 3: Click the Save button to add the conference and begin using the conference extension.
How to Edit Conferences Once They’re Set Up
There might be times when you need to edit conferences. For example, you might want to change the leader or participant PIN. To do this, make sure you’re signed in to the Pilot Voice Portal. Then follow these steps.
Step 1: Select Conferences in the navigation menu.
Step 2: Click a conference name or use the corresponding edit icon to make changes. Either way, a pop-up will display the conference’s details.
Step 3: Make changes to any field you want to edit, then click the Save button to finish.
How to Delete Conferences
Don’t need it? Don’t keep it sitting around. First, make sure you’re logged in to the Pilot Voice Portal, then follow these steps.
Step 1: Select Conferences from the navigation menu. Then click the X (delete) icon that corresponds with the conference you want to delete.
Step 2: Click Yes (delete) or No (keep it) on the prompt that appears.
